Power press



y 1932- M. R. HATCH ETAL 1,361,131

POWER PRES S Filed April 2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 11 15 gwuenkws y 1932- M. R. HATCH EI'AL 81 POWER PRESS Filed April 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmenkocs Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFEQE MEREDITH It. HATCH AND ARTHUR H. SCHLOZ, F TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR$ TO THE TOLEDQ MACHNE & TOOL COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, QHIO, A CORPORATION OF QH'IQ POWER PRESS Application filed April 2, 1931. Serial 1%. 5273M.

This invention relates to a power press of the type in which the movement of the slide is positively controlled at all four corners thereof so as to prevent possible side thrust 5 or tipping of the slide as a result of work which is ofi center or unevenly distributed.

For various operations, such as blanking, piercing, sizing or drawing, where uneven or unsymmetrical distribution of the load 19 may occur, it has been proposed to use a press with a four point suspenslon and a four point press application to the slide.

With the above conditions in mind, it is the object of the present inventionvto provide a press having two crank shafts, each having two connections with the. slide, in which the driving mechanism is symmetrically arranged, so that the torque and stress will be distributed as uniformly as possible,

even when the loads are unbalanced.

In the present embodiment of the invention, power is applied to the center of the main drive shaft, which has at each end a driving connection to the center of a counter shaft at right angles thereto. Each counter shaft has its ends geared to the opposite ends of a double crank shaft parallel thereto, so that the crank shaft has a double drive, all shafts and gears are symmetrically arranged both longitudinally and laterally of the press, normally the torque is equally distributed to both ends of the crank shaft, counter shaft and main drive shaft, and there is no tendency for one end or side of the slide to move in advance of the other.

The novel features of the invention and the advanta es thereof will be more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a power press constructed according to the invention, with a portion thereof shown in section; and

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same with parts shown in section.

through a clutch 9 to the central portion of As illustrated in the drawings, the inven a transversely disposed-main drive shaft 10.

Each end of the drive shaft 10 has a pinion 11 meshing with a gear 12 secured to the central art of a counter shaft 13 which is per pen icular to the shaft 11 and located directly above one end of the slide 6.

To each end of the shaft 13, there is secured a pinion 14 which is in mesh with a gear 15 secured to the end of the crank shaft 16. Thus there are two crank shafts 16 arranged above opposite ends of the slide 6 and transversely thereof and each crank shaft has a double drive through the center of the counter shaft 13. All driving connections are arranged symmetrically about the center line of the press.

Each crank shaft 16 has two cranks 17 each of which is connected to one corner of the slide 6 through a connecting member 18. This connecting member 18 has its lower end pivotally connected at 19 to an extension 20 which has a threaded shank 21 for adjustable connection to the slide 6. This adjustment is effected through the medium of a head 22 seated in the slide 6 and having a threaded connection with the shank 21. The head 22 is also formed with a bevel gear 23 which meshes with a pinion 24: on the end of a shaft 25. It is to be understood that there is a shaft 25 at each side of the slide and that each shaft 25 is connected with two adjusting heads 22. Each shaft 25 has a worm gear 26 secured to its central portion and adapted to be driven by a worm 27 on the end of a shaft 28 which is disposed transversely along the center line of the slide and parallel to the main drive shaft 10. The shaft 28 is centrally connected by gearing 29 to a reversible motor 30 through which the adjustment of the slide may be eflected at all four corners equally and simultaneously. The connections are secured in any desired position of adjustment by any suitable means, such as the clamping members 31 which are secured by bolts 32 or other suitable means.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that a four point suspension press constructed in accordance with the invention is adapted for heavy duty and is of especial value where a single press is used for various operations involving work which may be off center or where the shape of the dies creates side thrusts. Both crank shafts are driven in synchronism from both ends through a system of gears and shafts all of which are arranged symmetrically so that there can be no tilting of the slide and normall the torque will be equalized in all of the rivin mechanism.

Althoug only one specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it is apparent that the same may be modified to a considerable extent without departing from the essential features of the invention as claimed. 1

What we claim is:

1. In a power press, the combination with a slide, of four connections therefor, and shafts and gearing including two double crank shafts and a common main drive shaft similarly geared to both ends of both of said crank shafts for operating the slide through said connections, all of said shafts and gearing being symmetrically arranged with reference to the longitudinal and transverse center lines of the press.

2. In a power press, the combination with two double crank shafts, of intermediate shafts in balanced driving relation to both ends of both of said crank shafts and a common main drive shaft in driving relation to said intermediate shafts, said crank shafts being perpendicular to a vertical plane through said main drive shaft, the driving connections between said intermediate shafts and the crank shafts being symmetrical with respect to said common drive shaft.

3. In a power press, the combination with two transversely disposed double-crank shafts, of counter shafts geared to both ends of both of said double-crank shafts and parallel thereto, and a common longitudinally disposed drive shaft geared to said counter shafts, each of said counter shafts being symmetrical with respect to the common drive shaft.

4. In a power press, the combination with two double crank shafts, of intermediate shafts in driving relation to both ends of both of said crank shafts and a common main drive shaft in like driving relation to both of'said intermediate shafts, said crank shafts being perpendicular to a vertical lane through said main drive shaft, all 0 said shafts and driving connections being symmetrically arranged with reference to the longitudinal and transverse center lines of the press.

5. In a power press, the combination with two transversely disposed double-crank shafts, of counter shafts geared to both ends of both of said double-crank shafts and parallel thereto, and a common longitudinally disposed drive shaft geared to said counter shafts, all of said shafts and gearing being symmetrically arranged with reference to the longitudinal and transverse center lines of the press.

6. In a power press, the combination with two double crank shafts, of counter shafts in driving relation to both ends of both of said crank shafts, gears secured centrally to the respective counter shafts, and a common drive shaft in balanced driving relation to said gears.

7. In a power press, the combination with two double crank shafts, of counter shafts having like driving 'connections with the respective crank shafts at both ends thereof, gears secured centrally to the respective counter shafts, and a common drive shaft in balanced driving relation to said gears.

8. In a power press, the combination with two double crank shafts, of counter shafts in driving relation to both ends of the respective crank shafts, gears secured centrally to the respective counter shafts, a common drive shaft, pinions secured to the ends of said drive shaft and meshing respectively with said gears, and means for applying .power centrally to said drive shaft.

9. In a power press, the combination with two double crank shafts, of counter shafts having driving connection with the respective crank shafts at both ends thereof, gears secured centrally to the respective counter shafts, a common drive shaft, said crank shafts being perpendicular to a vertical plane through said drive shaft, pinions secured to the ends of said drive shaft and meshing respectively with said gears on the counter shafts, and means for applying power centrally to said drive shaft.

10. In a power press, the combination'with two double-crank shafts, a slide, and connections between the respective cranks and the slide, of shafts and gears including a common drive shaft for drivingthe crank shafts, and means including gears and a common drive shaft for adjusting said connections, all of said gears and shafts being symmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal and transverse center lines of the press.

11. In a power press, the combination with two double-crank shafts, a slide, and connections between the respective cranks and the slide, of means for driving the crank shafts, gears for adjusting said connections, two shafts each having at its ends driving connections with two of the adjusting gears,

and a common drive shaft for said two shafts nections with two of the adjusting gears, two

gears respectively secured centrally to said two last mentioned shafts, and a common drive shaft having driving connections at its ends to said two last mentioned gears.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names to this specification.

MEREDITH R. HATCH. ARTHUR H. SCHLOZ. 

